Heaven On Earth
by Autumn Ice
Summary: World War III has passed, and the results are the Mega-Cities. Neo-Tokyo, Neo-Paris, Neo-London, and more. But now a fourth worlwide war is looming, and on the outskirts are eight young woman, and one man, who could, perhaps, put the world right again.
1. Live in Heaven Come crashing down

**Oh, a new ficcie by me- scary thought.  This is another A/U, though this one has very little of the SM 'verse in it.  Only the characters, and a little of the magic are canon.  Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:  Bishoujo Senshisailormoon does not belong to me.  It belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.**

Dance as if noone is watching 

_Love as if you've never been hurt_

_Sing as if noone can hear_

_And live as if heaven is on earth_

The group of girls in front her were laughing happily, as they rested and drank from the small stream.  The surrounding feel of the giant trees made this small clearing a peaceful spot, and Usagi was almost angry that some Uptown strangers were disrupting her spot.  But she couldn't truly call it her spot, because this park was a public one.

                Still, she seethed.  This was the only park open to those from Zetsubo, the poorest district of Neo-Tokyo.  There were only four in total, but the limits of the city were strained at best.  With outside conditions so unstable, no one left the relative safety of the mega-city.  The threat of World War Four was a very real one, and already there was tension that was increasing daily.

                Her step-father had sent her here to take a break, however short it was.  She had found this spot years ago, with her best friend, Demando.  They had, in youthful excitement, declared it as theirs.  They returned to it often, escaping the bustling town they had both grown up in.

                In anger, Usagi pulled out her ID verifier, checking the identities of these seven girls.  Every single person alive had an Id, a small piece of metal embedded in their wrist that would immediately identify them.  When the results scrolled across the small flat-screen, she nearly growled out loud.  _Stupid Seimei twinks,_ she thought, glaring at the girls who were completely oblivious to her watching.  She despised anyone from the better districts, as she had always been part of Zetsubo, and was always discriminated because of that.  Seimei was the highest of all the districts, the residences of all the richest of Tokyo, and usually the snobbiest.

                Usagi continued to glare daggers at the giggling group, until they moved on, leaving Usagi alone.  She entered the clearing, checking to make sure the girls had not disturbed her spot.  When all was fine, she flopped down beside her tree, drinking in the calmness of the forest.  She had so much to think about, and her mind was buzzing with it all.

                Usagi's mother owned an inn, one of the more prosperous, in the Zetsubo district of Neo-Tokyo.  Usagi and her step-father helped run it, with Usagi pulling in extra money to help.  Usagi, or Bunny as was her "official" name, was a technical genius, good at anything to do with computers, and also one of the few from Zetsubo who could do computer repairs, and cheaply.  New-Tokyo, like all of the mega-cities, ran on electricity for nearly everything.  The technology that ran the city was highly advanced, and Bunny specialized in hacking, using her skills to make her life and those of the ones who paid best easier.  The pay was good, and nearly all of what she earned went to her mother's inn.

                Knowing that the lunch rush would begin soon, Usagi left the clearing.  But before she left, she filled her bottle with water from the small stream.  The water was the best tasting she had ever drunk, compared to the recycled water that came out of taps in Zetsubo.

"Tai?" she cried, pushing open the door, "I'm back!"  Taiyo looked up from where he was preparing for the lunch crowds, and smiled at her.

                "Buns!" he greeted.  Taiyo was one of the nicest men she had ever met, and was even nicer to her mother.  Technically, Taiyo and Iria, Bunny's mother, were not married, but the current lack of priests was something that could not be helped.  In any case, marriage ceremonies were considered trivialities with the rest of the world's troubles, and Bunny called him her father anyways.  Her true father had died long ago.  "Did you have a good time?"

                She sat down ungracefully on one of the stools in front of the bar.  "Yes, of course.  I always do.  But there were some stupid Seimei twinks there today."  She glared at nothing, expressing her distaste of Seimei.  "Did anyone come by?" she asked, completely changing to subject.

                "No, there were no calls for your services, Buns.  Although, there is someone else you may wish to see," Tai gestured behind her, at a shadowed form in the corner.

                Bunny saw a glint of silver hair, and black eyes as the person lifted their face to see her.  "Demando!" she cried, jumping off the stool, throwing herself at him, barely giving him enough time to stand up.  "You're back!"

                "Yes, Usako, I am back.  I missed you," he said, hugging her tightly.  "And I'll be here for a couple of months, at least.  I already rented a room from your mother."

                Bunny smiled into his shirt, then turning her face to look at him.  "That's great!  I have been so worried, especially with all this talk about another war..."  Her eyes reflected her worry for him.

                "We will stay away from the fighting, Buns.  We will not leave you or Iria," Taiyo promised.  Her mother went to stand with him, and the devotion the two had for each other shone through hardships of life as they knew it.

                "Someday," Bunny whispered, "I want to have someone like that for me."

                Unknown to her, Demando was watching her intently, hoping in his heart to be that one to her.

**Confusing?  I know!  Please let me know what (else) you think about this.  I need to know whether or not to continue it.  FYI, seimei means life, zetsubo means despair.  The idea came to me while watching Metropolis, so keep your mind open for this one.    
And no mamo-baka.  Yet.  Maybe.  Sorry, Mamo-baka fan's.**


	2. Live on Earth Live with Fear

_Dance as if noone is watching_

_Love as if you've never been hurt_

_Sing as if noone can hear_

_And live as if heaven is on earth_

****

                "So who were those girls you saw in the park?"  Demando asked curiously, sitting next to her later on, as they took a break from the business of the inn's common room.  He had offered to help Bunny's mother with serving, as he always did when he stayed at the inn for an extended period of time.

                "Some stupid twinks from Seimei.  First time I have ever seen someone else in our spot."  She growled, and pulled out her ID verifier.  She scrolled through the names, almost snarling at the names that flashed up.

                "_Mizuno Ami,"_ the daughter of a famous doctor, and said to be a genius herself,

                "_Hino Rei,"_ one of the last priestesses of the Shinto religion

                "_Aino Minako_" was a famous actor, one who usually played the roles of heroic female

_                "Kino Makoto"_ was a famous diplomat, striving for peace, though Bunny snickered at her as she thought of the pending war,

_                "Kaioh Michiru," a_ famous artist and violinist,

_                "Tennoh Haruka",_ had been a famous racer, though she had turned to doing duets with Michiru when travel between cities had stopped.

_                "Tomoe Hotaru,"_ one of the few living cyborgs, who were more machine the human.  She was also a gifted healer, though her gifts were often discounted by professional Doctors.  She was the only one of the seven Demando had ever seen, and the only one Bunny had seen before the day.  To him, Hotaru Tomoe had seemed almost human, at least in comparison to others he had met from Seimei.

                Bunny showed the results to Demando, who would have smiled if it would not have upset Bunny.  "I don't see what you are worried about.  We should be honored that famous people have visited our clearing."

                He didn't add anything else, though he knew very well that Usagi automatically hated anyone from a higher district then herself.  She merely shook her head, and put the id verifier away.  He got off he bed, intending to put his clothes away in drawers.

                As he was folding his shirts, Usagi spoke up.  "You know how Mama really wanted to be officially married?" she asked innocently.

                "Yes," he said cautiously, wary of her whenever she used that voice.

                "Well," she drawled, fingering the device in her hands, "this Hino Rei could possibly help them, you know."

                Demando stiffened.  "Why exactly are you interested, Usa-ko?  I thought you would stay away from one like her."  He picked up the shirt he had dropped, still shocked.

                "Oh, I don't think I like her any more than anyone else from Seimei.  But not only would I be able to make Mama happy, but this would give me a chance to take a look around Seimei."  Bunny sat on his bed, looking deceptively innocent.

                Unfortunately, Demando knew that his Bunny was anything but innocent.  She was his equal with her knives, and she also knew enough self-defense to keep her safe in Zetsubo, where killers, among other things, walked the dirty streets.  She looked as if she were a cat who had just been turned loose in an aviary.  "You've been to Seimei before, Usako."

                She grinned.  "Of course, but this time I would be doing it legitimately.  Or, at least, far more legally then the last time."  Though venturing between districts was not illegal, it was definitely disapproved of, especially if you were from a lower district in the social chain.  Usagi's gift with technology, however, allowed her to fiddle with her ID so that sensors read that she was from wherever she wished.  Such was the trick that made her so invaluable to the thieves and criminals of Zetsubo.  She had done so once, just to check if her trick worked, and had had a field day in the richer districts, leaving behind a trail of messed up electronics.

                "If you say so, my bunny."  His eyes widened.  _Eep,_ he thought.  _His_ Bunny?  That was definitely not what he meant to say.

                Fortunately, Bunny didn't seem to notice.  She had a slightly vacant expression, meaning she was lost in her thoughts.  _Good for me,_ Demando thought, relieved.

                He had finished unpacking by the time that Bunny finished dissecting what ever was on her mind, and he sat down next to her, expecting an explanation.

                Bunny wrapped a friendly arm around him.  "Here's the idea, Demando-chan," she said sweetly.  She grabbed his wrist.  "See this thing," she said, acting as if she was dealing with a young child.  Her rapid changes of mood often confused him.

                "Yes, Usako."  He sighed.  What ever she was planning, he should be afraid.  With out a doubt.

                "Ohayo, kaa-san!!" Bunny caroled as she and Demando returned to the inn.  Her mother glanced up and smiled, but returned to serving the customers.  "It's busier then usual, wonder why?" Usagi asked Demando as they quickly went upstairs to change.

                "Who knows?  It's probably the coming war.  People like to get nice and drunk, rather then think about the implications that world wide bombings have for their lives."  He went into his room, leaving Bunny to go on to her own, once again unnerved by the callous way her oldest friend had of dealing with war.  

                All she truly knew about what he did for a living was that he was a sort of modern mercenary, hiring his skills out, much the way she did her hacking.  But he was no technology genius.

                Demando was, by far, the best fighter Bunny had ever met, up to and including the top gang leaders in Zetsubo that she had had the chance to witness in a fight.  He was close-mouthed, however, whenever she asked about where he had learned all he knew; he only said that he was carrying on some sort of legacy.  How and why where two questions Bunny did not have the resources to answer,

                Bunny slipped on working clothes, and leaned against her door.  She knew herself to be a fairly complex person, but Demando took personal complexity to an entirely new level.  In a way, he was like the best built computer system she had encountered, and not one she could find the way to dismantle it.  

                And one thing Bunny Son did not tolerate was inability, because inability was the same as failure.  And failure was not an option, in a world where mistakes were deadly.

                Her own experiences, and losses, were proof enough of that.

                Demando knocked on Bunny's door, wondering what was taking his friend so long.  Normally she would be changed faster then him, and that meant she must be still bothered by something.

                He wondered what she could possibly be still worried about.  They had taken a jaunt into the higher districts, searching for Hino Rei's temple.  They had found it easily enough, and had requested a marriage ceremony for Bunny's mother, which they had been granted.  What had baffled the two was that the ceremony was given free of charge, and that was unheard of.  At least to the two from Zetsubo.

                _Guess neither of us as really as world-wise as we thought.  Although, religion is a subject neither of us has had the occasion to need to know._  But even so, knowing that her mother could get married whenever, now that they knew where to go, should have made Bunny happy.  Not make her quiet, reticent.

                When Bunny opened the door, the guilty look on her face when she saw who it was gave away her thoughts.  Demando was very good at reading faces, and long companionship with Bunny made it all the easier.  His bunny had been thinking about him again, and whatever it was, she didn't want to discuss it with him.  "Come on Bunny, let's get downstairs and help your mother out."  He said nothing about her thoughts, figuring on getting them out of her later.

                Bunny nodded, relieve that he wasn't querying her.  She grinned, and looped her arm through his, pulling him with her as she went down the dark hall.  She didn't let go of his arm until she was called to help a customer, liking the feel of his arm through hers.  The thought should have felt odd, but somehow she didn't think something that felt so right could be wrong.

                Something else for her to think about.

**Yes, I know not much happened in this chapter, but it was introductions to the characters.  It had to be done.  Moving on.  I have changed my mind.  More of the canon will be in here then originally planned, so expect see some Dark Moon Arc stuff, as well as Galaxia (maybe) and Starlights.  And a Demando/Usagi pairing (even though it's not canon- I hate Mamo-baka)!  How rare is that?  There should be more of them (anyone know of any good ones?  I want more)  
Thank-you, Iron Mouse (Yes, Mamo-baka is a very unliked person, ain't he?  Sorry to say, this is not a Seiya-Usa fic.  Not that I don't like that pairing, it's just I wanted to do a Demando/Usa.  There are too few of them.) and Charity (I like being different!  Thankee!) for reviewing.  Maybe if others see that they will too be acknowledged, they too will review.  Easy, eh?**


	3. Live in Fear and Stay with Love

_Dance as if noone is watching_

_Love as if you've never been hurt_

_Sing as if noone can hear_

_And live as if heaven is on earth_

**I have realized how much this fic could be taken as a portrayal of the world's current situation, taken to the extreme.  Please know that this story is NOT based on reality.  This work is purely fiction, with plenty of liberties taken with the few actual facts used, such as the history of the first two WWs.  I hope with all my heart that this current war is solved with as little bloodshed as possible.  War is a hideous thing, and should never be taken lightly or in jest.  This is a serious fic, and I hope that anyone who would flame me for this subject realizes this.**

**Chapter Three:**

When the deep beat of a message sounded throughout the city, Usagi, along with every single other citizen of Neo-Tokyo, turned to the nearest Mediascreen, the government's way of delivering messages effectively to the city at large.  It was two weeks after her encounter with the seimei girls, and she knew that the war was getting worse.

                The war occupied everyone's minds.  The older men and women related their tales from the last war, expressing their distaste and fear loudly and often.   It had been nearly fifty years since the first Mega-City had been built, and the cities had been built soon after the end of World War Three.  History was repeating itself, and there was nothing Bunny could do.

                She looked up to see the wreckage of a Mega-City displayed across the six-story tall screen.  She froze, her heart in her mouth as she heard the horrific news being reported.

                _"This morning around sunrise, Mega-Paris was attacked by unknown renegades.  The nuclear weapons used were powerful enough to level most of the core of the city, reducing life there to chaos.  There is an uncounted mortality rate, and many more are believed to be missing or injured.  More attacks are feared, but there has been no sign or indication of future plans from this dangerous unknown.  All citizens of Mega-Tokyo are asked to stay in the city, and to immediately follow any directions given by our Emperor."  _The video played on, this time with out sound, but Bunny couldn't move.  Her heart was thudding so loudly, she didn't even hear Demando call her name.  She broke out of it when he shook her, and he grabbed her tightly, staring into her eyes.

                "Are you alright, Usa-ko?" he asked urgently.  He seemed more worried for her then what they had both seen.  She stuttered, eyes still wide.

                "I'll be fine," she whispered softly.  "But you knew, didn't you?" she accused him, eyes hurt.  She didn't know how she knew this, but somehow, she knew that Demando had been very much of aware of this attack.  And it hurt, to know that her best friend was involved in this.  It hurt her like very little had ever hurt.

                "Bunny, listen to me," he begged.  He pulled her out of the busy street, and down a dark alley where they would not be overheard.  "I knew, yes, but I had nothing to do with the attack.  I did not take part, and I will never do anything like that.  Believe me!  Please.  I did nothing, Bunny.  Nothing, and it cost those millions of people their lives."  He let go of her when her expression did not change, when her eyes remained accusing specks of ice.

                Usagi continued to watch him, but her eyes softened slightly.  She felt his anguish, and though she was still angry, she couldn't believe that he had been involved.  She reached out and touched his face softly, conveying without words her belief.  When Demando turned back to her, Bunny was shocked once more to see tears on his face.

                She wiped them away gently, and pulled him to her, enveloping him in a tender hug.  Whispering soothing words, Usagi couldn't help but compare this moment with similar ones in the past.  Only then, it had been Demando comforting her, not the other way around.

                "Bunny, if anything happens please be sure you get to safety."  Usagi looked up from her computer to see her mother standing in her doorway, looking grim.  The situation in the world had grown even more serious with two more cities being attacked, though neither had been Mega-cities.  Her mother had been keeping very close track of the news, and every day she seemed more stressed and sorrowful.

                "I will, mama," she promised, if only to ease her mother's troubled mind.  Bunny knew that her mother had family in Paris, and even now, three days later, there had been so few survivors from the city of over ten million that Ikuko had lost hope of ever seeing any of them again.  Bunny did not know if there would be anywhere safe to go if the city was attacked, but she did not tell her mother this.

                Her mother left, looking harried as customers called from downstairs.  Business had remained the same in the inn, perhaps as Demando had said, full with people who wanted to forget about the current danger.

                Demando materialized out of the shadows of her room, startling Bunny.  "Don't do that," she scolded, even though he had been doing that for many years.  He smiled faintly, before moving to stand behind her.

                "Hacking into the government again, Usa-ko?" he asked, placing his hands gently on her shoulders to get a better look.  For some reason, Usagi's breath sped up slightly at the close contact, and she wondered why now she was feeling _different_ around her best friend.  But, as she reflected further, she realized that it had started when he had returned the last time.  She had merely ignored it until now.

                Pushing her thoughts away, she answered his question.  "I was just seeing if there was any new information on the renegades behind this.  And there was," she pointed out triumphantly.  "See, this group is supposed to be based somewhere on the American continent, in the ruined lands that are abundant there.  However, there have been no successful forays into that area, as none who went have come back, so nothing is really known about them.  There has only been sniper-style attacks, with them disappearing as soon as they appear."

                Demando stood up straight, removing his hands, and Usagi frowned at the loss of contact.  "That's not very reassuring," he said.  He looked deep in thought, and Usagi was hesitant to break him out of it.

                "Do you know anything," she asked quietly.  Until now, she had made no reference to the incident three days ago, but she had to know.  Their lives had been so turned around by this pending war that she no longer cared about subtlety.  And war it would be, if what she had hacked into was any indication.  The messages being sent between the governments of the Mega-Cities were grim, and she could almost see the declarations of war being drawn up.

                "I-" he began, and turned away from her questing eyes.  "I know what they're after," he muttered softly.  He turned his gaze to the window, staring at the foggy night sky.  "They don't know where it is, so they will continue to attack until they find it."

                "What is 'it'?" she pressed, standing up so she could look more clearly into his face.

                Demando turned back to face her, his dark eyes hiding most of his emotions, though Bunny could see the sorrow within them.  "A power so great that they would be able to dominate the Earth."  Suddenly, he grabbed her in a hug, holding her tightly as if she was his last lifeline in a turbulent ocean.  "Please, do not repeat a single word I have said.  Just knowing it as you do has put you in great danger, Usa-ko."

                "Of course," she promised, voice muffled against his shirt.  Her head felt light and airy, and it was hard to think.

                Demando rested his head on top of hers, body weary from fear and stress and frustration.  "Promise me you will stay safe?" he asked.

                "Yes," she replied as she had her mother.

                "Promise me you will not try to fight?" he asked, pulling back so he could stare into her eyes.

                "Yes," she repeated.

                "And promise me you will always let me protect you?" he asked, and lowered his head to kiss her softly on the lips.

                Usagi stared at him with large blue-grey eyes, and her hand came up to touch her lips.  Then she blinked, and smiled.  "Yes," she said softly.  She had been surprised when Demando had kissed her, but it had felt so right.  So she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again.

**Bad ending, bad ending.  Please not hate me?  Oh, I learned how to spell blue in English (I think I got it figured out!).  Go me.  
Thank  yous:  Alexiel x2 (thanks for the encouragement), EASimpson x2 (Chiba Mamoru didn't die, he never existed.  Usagi did not live through the war, she was born about thirty years after World War Three ended), and Serenity Aura Crystal Winner (long name...  thank-you for the compliment).**


End file.
